Paul Warren | + Follow Poet |
Ballad | + Fav Poem | Comment | Email | Print |

Robert Berrima Quinn Military Medal Port Adelaide Stalwart

Born in 1915 at Birkenhead by the Port River Inlet 
A son of Port Adelaide  as one of the best youd get
In the days before bridges he would row
Across the river to training and games hed go

He debuted for the Magpies in 1936 at Alberton
And was the best player in that game then
Winning the 1938 Magarey Medal as the best in the league
He was one who epitomises the best of the Creed

Then in 1939 he captain coached the Magpies 
To the third premiership after the ones in 1936 and 1937 as Football wise
But war clouds were gathering and he heard the bugle call then
Enlisting in second 43 Battalion in June 1940 as a warrant officer second class his country to defend

Off to North Africa he sailed with his mates
To Libya and Tobruk battlefields his life risked to fate
Then on the 3 August 1941 who took command of the 10 platoon
At the siege of Tobruk to blow a barbed wire machine gun soon

He told his men that death was near
As the Germans poured on fire across the battlefield clear
And he would lay the last Bangalore explosive torpedo 
The most dangerous one to place near the machine gun hed go

Only three of the seven survived in the heavy fire
With Quinns turn the next the danger so dire
And he was hit by shrapnel in the top of the thigh
Being hit in the head again the bullets flying by

On top of this a wounded mate called out
And he took him up on his back to the trench after the shout
The machine gun was silenced in the mission success
A Military Medal was awarded to Quinn as one of the best

When his wounds healed he was promoted to lieutenant 
And to the Pacific War defending Australia he was sent
And in September 1943 in New Guinea he was injured severely 
In his knee arm and face which could have cost his football dearly

But he made it through those broken years
Returning to Adelaide and more football cheers
To win a second Magarey Medal in 1945 an accolade 
As captain coach of Port Adelaide 

So we remember this brave man
Of the battlefield and Aussie Rules oval grand
Two Magarey Medals three premierships four best and fairest medals 15 times played for South Australia and All Australian player
With a Military Medal on the battlefield a brave ANZAC soldier.

© Paul Warren Poetry

Copyright © Paul Warren | Year Posted 2019

Please Login to post a comment